92 GILL 
Pelagic Gecko Cyrtodactylus pelagicus 
‘Eua: From a cave, coll. D.J. Lowe 12 August 1987 (H1052). Lifuka: From rotting log 
in plantation. H1199, SVL 64 mm, weight 6.6 g. 
Snake-eyed Skink Cryptoblepharus poecilopleurus 
Lofanga: From rocks overgrown with low twiggy shrubs in the supralittoral zone. 
H1191-H1193, SVLs 33 mm, 35 mm, 36 mm. 
Blue-tailed Skink Emoia cyanura 
Tongatapu: From forest litter (H1177, H1179) and coastal grassland (H1178). Lifuka: 
From plantations (H1180, H1181). Foa: From coastal forest litter (H1182-H1184)., 
Lofanga: From plantations (H1185-H1190). 
Large skink ?Emoia 
Tongatapu: On 8 July 1988 I saw a large (SVL >80 mm) pale brown skink with a 
pointed snout and long toes and tail, climbing vertically on a concrete block wall at the 
Tongan National Centre near Nuku’alofa. 
Foa: On 13 July 1988 in forest bordering the swamp at the centre of the island I saw 
three specimens of a large (SVL >80 mm) arboreal skink with pointed snout and long 
toes and tail. Two were on vertical tree trunks, the third on a horizontal branch over 
standing water. I watched them through binoculars but could not catch them. They 
were pale brown with faint widely spaced darker blotches along the back, pale striping 
across the lips, and scattered dark spots on the belly. 
Banded Sea-snake Laticauda colubrina 
Tongatapu: H354, Nuku'alofa, pres. E.M. Pomeroy 1939. Vava’'u: H347, H349, coll. 
J. Parsons 1877-1880. 
Banded Sea-snake Laticauda laticaudata 
Vava'u: H348, H350, coll. J. Parsons 1877-1880. 
“Cook’s Tortoise” (Tu’i Malila) 
Tongatapu: The Madagascan Testudo radiata that was kept in the Royal Palace 
grounds, that died in May 1966, and that had a carapace 24 cm high (Robb & Turbott 
1971) is on display at the Tongan National Centre. Among the historical displays at 
this centre is an old photograph showing a Tongan man standing astride a tortoise 
much larger than 24 cm high, suggesting that the 1966 specimen is not the original 
“Cook’s tortoise”. On 3 July 1988, while attending a feast in the grounds of the Royal 
Palace, I saw yet another tortoise — a small (presumably young) one — that had the 
freedom of the grounds. 
Green Turtle (Fonu) Chelonia mydas 
Lofanga: One specimen ashore that a villager had caught for food. 
